Sacha Jones produces breakthrough tennis effort

Reuters

BREAKTHROUGH: New Zealand's Sacha Jones has qualified for the main draw at a WTA tournament for the first time.

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Sacha Jones’ blossoming career continues with the New Zealand women’s tennis No 1 fighting through qualifying to make the main draw of a quality WTA tournament for the first time.

Jones won through three rounds of qualifying at the Pattaya Open in Thailand, a tournament with the same stature as Auckland's ASB Classic.

It was a sweet moment for Jones who had to give up her wildcard into the Auckland tournament in January because of injury.

She faces Italian Alberta Brianti in the first round in Thailand where she joins fellow Kiwi Marina Erakovic in the main draw of singles at the $US220,000 hardcourt event.

Eracovic is up against Austrian Sybille Bammer.

It was a good effort by Jones with direct entries for the tournament cutting off at a world ranking of 132 in a field headed by Russia’s world No 14 Vera Zvonareva.

Erakovic has already made a good start to the doubles championship in Pattaya, partnering Tamarine Tanasugarn to beat fourth seeds Carly Gullickson and Nicole Kriz 6-2, 7-5 in the first round.

- © Fairfax NZ News